Fishermen often use stink bait or dough bait on the fishhook to attract fish. The bait is a pasty material that is highly odoriferous. The standard method of placing the bait onto the hook is by taking a portion of the bait in the fingers and pressing it onto the hook. The bait becomes smeared on the hands, pushed under the fingernails, and wiped on clothing. The material is tenacious and the odor persistent. As the fisherman fishes, he becomes increasingly odoriferous and concomitantly unpopular, especially with the fisherman's wife.
Studies have shown that fish are extremely sensitive to smell. Many types of fish are greatly attracted to stink bait. Some fishermen also believe that human scent will keep some fish from biting the baited hook. Therefore, some believe that applying bait with the hands is undesirable.
Furthermore, while attempting to place the bait onto a hook with the bare hand, the hook may slip and stab or tear the skin.